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American Morning
Interview with Joseph Lieberman
Aired January 27, 2004 - 09:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back here live in Manchester. Cold outside, but things are heating up inside. And certainly, the polling stations across the Granite State.
He skipped Iowa to campaign full-time here in New Hampshire. But Joe Lieberman's primary goal today is not winning but perhaps surviving after New Hampshire. The candidate confident he will do just that today. He predicts a better-than-expected finish today in New Hampshire. But will he ultimately make the cut?
Let's talk to the senator from Connecticut, with us here now live in Manchester.
Nice to see you and good morning.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You too, Bill. Good morning to you.
HEMMER: How do you feel on a day like today?
LIEBERMAN: I feel excited. I feel proud that I ran the kind of campaign I wanted to run. I think, particularly, last Thursday night at debate, it all came together for me. And I sent a message out to people. I got 30 years of experience, a record of integrity, independence, new ideas for the campaign in the future. And they could rely on me do what I think is right for them and the country.
HEMMER: Yes, listen, I know you as a candidate -- so many of us tell us they do not like to pay attention to these poll numbers, but oftentimes, it's the only thing we have to talk about it because that's the best indication. Historically speaking, polls are not reliable in New Hampshire. They can predict the finish, but not the margin of difference between one, two and three.
If do you not finish a strong third here, how much longer can you sustain your own campaign?
LIEBERMAN: Well, I set a standard for myself. I said that I was going to do better than expected. I think we've already done that and I expect it to be shown by the voters.
And we've done that because people were counting me out last week, but not -- the experts, but not the voters here. We've had a real surge of Democrats and independents. They're going to make a difference.
And I think it's all about them feeling that they can trust me to do the right thing for them and to bring the country together again. I'm a mainstream Democrat -- really, the only one in the race -- and that's why I can win the election.
HEMMER: Senator, here's what we are hearing from many voters, though, in New Hampshire and, again, back in Iowa. They want to vote for someone who they believe can beat and take on George Bush.
Latest numbers we had over the weekend indicate that you trail well behind when it comes to this certain quality. When asked whether or not you think a candidate has a chance of being the president, 6 percent only picked you.
What does that say to you? Or make the argument now: Why are those numbers wrong?
LIEBERMAN: Well, I think they ought to follow the words coming out of the Bush White House. I'm the Democrat they don't want to run against because they can't run their normal play book against Democrats. I'm not weak on defense; I'm strong. I'm not a big taxer; I'm for middle class and small business tax cuts. I'm not weak on values; that's the heart of my life. I'm not a flip-flopper; I say exactly the same thing to every audience.
And I got a very progressive set of ideas for our future to provide affordable health insurance to everybody, to get the economy creating more jobs.
So it's up to the people. And, you know, I'm the only mainstream Democrat in this race. It's in the mainstream, as Bill Clinton taught us, that we win elections.
HEMMER: Yes. Well, Governor Dean, the man who sat in your chair just a few moments ago, he indicated that he was against the Iraq war from the very beginning. You supported it.
LIEBERMAN: Right.
HEMMER: Do you think that's hurt you?
LIEBERMAN: You know, it probably hurt me with some people, help me with other people, but I have no second thoughts about it, because I did what I sincerely believed was right for the safety of the American people. And I've been unwavering in my belief that Americans are safer with Saddam Hussein in prison than in power. That's what a commander in chief is all about.
HEMMER: Whether that hurts you or not, you're standing by that?
LIEBERMAN: You know, I have a responsibility. You put your hand on the Bible and you say you swear your loyalty to do what's best for the United States. You can't look back at polls. And I don't look back about it. I know that I did what was right for the country.
There's a guy here in Salem, New Hampshire, who's got buttons that says "Liberals for Lieberman." And he says to me, "You know, I agree with you on so much that you fight for that's socially progressive. I disagreed with you on the war, but I know you did what you sincerely thought was right and that's the kind of person I want as president, whether or not I agree with you on everything; somebody who'll level with me."
HEMMER: And we only have a bit of time left. I want to show our viewers a piece of videotape that we picked up only five minutes ago. Senator Lieberman there yourself...
LIEBERMAN: Yes.
HEMMER: ... with Governor Dean, shaking hands and seeing each other as we exchange the guests here in Manchester. How often do you guys come across each other? It's not a very big state?
LIEBERMAN: We see each other some here, but we've seen each other a lot at debates. I mean, we've had, lord knows...
HEMMER: Certainly. But just to pass each other on the street, that happens, right?
LIEBERMAN: It happens, but not as much as you would guess it would. But you know, we're -- I think the good thing about this, that we had a lot of disagreements. But basically, we are in this together. And that's the way I feel about politics, generally. Even with the folks on the other side. We're not saying they're evil people. We're just saying we can do a better job in running this country.
HEMMER: I know your campaign has gone to theme of "Joementum."
LIEBERMAN: "Joementum" is...
HEMMER: ... and you have..
LIEBERMAN: ... alive and well.
HEMMER: ... and you're wearing your lucky tie today?
LIEBERMAN: Lucky tie.
HEMMER: A quick history, don't have much time.
LIEBERMAN: Thirty three years ago. I bought it on my first race for state Senator in New Haven. Nobody thought I would win, I won. I've worn it. The one time I didn't wear it, I lost. I wore it in 2000. And somebody said, "Well, what happened?" I said, "The tie, I thought all it had to do was produce more votes." It didn't know it had to win the electoral college, too.
HEMMER: Right.
LIEBERMAN: This year it knows that it's got to give me a better- than- expected finish...
HEMMER: We got to go.
LIEBERMAN: ... in New Hampshire.
HEMMER: Thank you.
LIEBERMAN: On to the rest. Take care.
HEMMER: And good luck to you today. All right, senator.
LIEBERMAN: Thank you.
HEMMER: All right. Joe Lieberman here in Manchester.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 27, 2004 - 09:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back here live in Manchester. Cold outside, but things are heating up inside. And certainly, the polling stations across the Granite State.
He skipped Iowa to campaign full-time here in New Hampshire. But Joe Lieberman's primary goal today is not winning but perhaps surviving after New Hampshire. The candidate confident he will do just that today. He predicts a better-than-expected finish today in New Hampshire. But will he ultimately make the cut?
Let's talk to the senator from Connecticut, with us here now live in Manchester.
Nice to see you and good morning.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You too, Bill. Good morning to you.
HEMMER: How do you feel on a day like today?
LIEBERMAN: I feel excited. I feel proud that I ran the kind of campaign I wanted to run. I think, particularly, last Thursday night at debate, it all came together for me. And I sent a message out to people. I got 30 years of experience, a record of integrity, independence, new ideas for the campaign in the future. And they could rely on me do what I think is right for them and the country.
HEMMER: Yes, listen, I know you as a candidate -- so many of us tell us they do not like to pay attention to these poll numbers, but oftentimes, it's the only thing we have to talk about it because that's the best indication. Historically speaking, polls are not reliable in New Hampshire. They can predict the finish, but not the margin of difference between one, two and three.
If do you not finish a strong third here, how much longer can you sustain your own campaign?
LIEBERMAN: Well, I set a standard for myself. I said that I was going to do better than expected. I think we've already done that and I expect it to be shown by the voters.
And we've done that because people were counting me out last week, but not -- the experts, but not the voters here. We've had a real surge of Democrats and independents. They're going to make a difference.
And I think it's all about them feeling that they can trust me to do the right thing for them and to bring the country together again. I'm a mainstream Democrat -- really, the only one in the race -- and that's why I can win the election.
HEMMER: Senator, here's what we are hearing from many voters, though, in New Hampshire and, again, back in Iowa. They want to vote for someone who they believe can beat and take on George Bush.
Latest numbers we had over the weekend indicate that you trail well behind when it comes to this certain quality. When asked whether or not you think a candidate has a chance of being the president, 6 percent only picked you.
What does that say to you? Or make the argument now: Why are those numbers wrong?
LIEBERMAN: Well, I think they ought to follow the words coming out of the Bush White House. I'm the Democrat they don't want to run against because they can't run their normal play book against Democrats. I'm not weak on defense; I'm strong. I'm not a big taxer; I'm for middle class and small business tax cuts. I'm not weak on values; that's the heart of my life. I'm not a flip-flopper; I say exactly the same thing to every audience.
And I got a very progressive set of ideas for our future to provide affordable health insurance to everybody, to get the economy creating more jobs.
So it's up to the people. And, you know, I'm the only mainstream Democrat in this race. It's in the mainstream, as Bill Clinton taught us, that we win elections.
HEMMER: Yes. Well, Governor Dean, the man who sat in your chair just a few moments ago, he indicated that he was against the Iraq war from the very beginning. You supported it.
LIEBERMAN: Right.
HEMMER: Do you think that's hurt you?
LIEBERMAN: You know, it probably hurt me with some people, help me with other people, but I have no second thoughts about it, because I did what I sincerely believed was right for the safety of the American people. And I've been unwavering in my belief that Americans are safer with Saddam Hussein in prison than in power. That's what a commander in chief is all about.
HEMMER: Whether that hurts you or not, you're standing by that?
LIEBERMAN: You know, I have a responsibility. You put your hand on the Bible and you say you swear your loyalty to do what's best for the United States. You can't look back at polls. And I don't look back about it. I know that I did what was right for the country.
There's a guy here in Salem, New Hampshire, who's got buttons that says "Liberals for Lieberman." And he says to me, "You know, I agree with you on so much that you fight for that's socially progressive. I disagreed with you on the war, but I know you did what you sincerely thought was right and that's the kind of person I want as president, whether or not I agree with you on everything; somebody who'll level with me."
HEMMER: And we only have a bit of time left. I want to show our viewers a piece of videotape that we picked up only five minutes ago. Senator Lieberman there yourself...
LIEBERMAN: Yes.
HEMMER: ... with Governor Dean, shaking hands and seeing each other as we exchange the guests here in Manchester. How often do you guys come across each other? It's not a very big state?
LIEBERMAN: We see each other some here, but we've seen each other a lot at debates. I mean, we've had, lord knows...
HEMMER: Certainly. But just to pass each other on the street, that happens, right?
LIEBERMAN: It happens, but not as much as you would guess it would. But you know, we're -- I think the good thing about this, that we had a lot of disagreements. But basically, we are in this together. And that's the way I feel about politics, generally. Even with the folks on the other side. We're not saying they're evil people. We're just saying we can do a better job in running this country.
HEMMER: I know your campaign has gone to theme of "Joementum."
LIEBERMAN: "Joementum" is...
HEMMER: ... and you have..
LIEBERMAN: ... alive and well.
HEMMER: ... and you're wearing your lucky tie today?
LIEBERMAN: Lucky tie.
HEMMER: A quick history, don't have much time.
LIEBERMAN: Thirty three years ago. I bought it on my first race for state Senator in New Haven. Nobody thought I would win, I won. I've worn it. The one time I didn't wear it, I lost. I wore it in 2000. And somebody said, "Well, what happened?" I said, "The tie, I thought all it had to do was produce more votes." It didn't know it had to win the electoral college, too.
HEMMER: Right.
LIEBERMAN: This year it knows that it's got to give me a better- than- expected finish...
HEMMER: We got to go.
LIEBERMAN: ... in New Hampshire.
HEMMER: Thank you.
LIEBERMAN: On to the rest. Take care.
HEMMER: And good luck to you today. All right, senator.
LIEBERMAN: Thank you.
HEMMER: All right. Joe Lieberman here in Manchester.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
